Isaiah 51:21
Therefore heare now this thou afflicted and drunken, but not with wine. Isaiah 51:21 (KJV)
The precise phrasing “thou afflicted, and drunken, but not with wine” does not appear as a verse in any chapter of Isaiah, although similar language is found in Isaiah 29:9 (KJV), which reads, “Stay yourselves, and wonder; cry ye out, and cry: they are drunken, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink.” The wording therefore echoes biblical language without being a direct quotation from Isaiah 51.
The image of being “drunken, but not with wine” functions metaphorically to describe a condition of moral and spiritual decline. It conveys a state in which people have become numb, confused, and disoriented, not because of physical intoxication but because they have turned away from God’s ways. This spiritual drunkenness signals a loss of discernment and a departure from the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
The term “afflicted” underscores the distress and suffering that accompany such disobedience. Affliction, in this context, reflects the consequences of sin and rebellion—pain, hardship, and a sense of emptiness that arise when humanity separates itself from divine truth.
The passage serves as a call to spiritual awakening. Those who find themselves in this state are urged to listen, to recognize their condition, and to return to God. Repentance and a renewed commitment to God’s word are presented as the pathway to restoration, offering hope that the afflicted can be healed and the spiritually “drunken” can regain clarity.
While the exact wording is not scriptural, its principles are applicable today. The metaphor reminds believers that spiritual numbness and affliction often result from straying from God’s path, indulging in sin, and neglecting a relationship with Him. By heeding the call to hear and respond, individuals can seek forgiveness, embrace God’s grace, and experience transformation. Biblical teaching assures that God is able to deliver the afflicted, restore them to a place of blessing and joy, and renew their lives through His mercy and power.
